Newark NJ police recently arrested a man accused of robbing a TD Bank branch on Mulberry Street.

The 61-year-old suspect, who lives in Newark, allegedly walked into the Newark TD Bank and ordered bank tellers to give him cash and checks. According to witnesses, the suspect implied that he was armed with a firearm during the theft.

After the bank employees placed an undisclosed amount of money and checks into a white bag, the suspect exited the bank and fled the scene. By the time police officers arrived at the bank, the suspect had already hailed a taxi and taken it to Central Avenue and South 8th Street in Newark. From that location, the suspect reportedly fled on foot.

The theft incident occurred in late May. Since then, police have been investigating the bank robbery and searching for the suspect. Several departments collaborated on the investigation, including police from Newark and Hillside, as well as the FBI and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

The suspect was finally caught after members of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force got a tip that he was near South 8th Street. Police went to the scene and placed the suspect under arrest.

The suspect was charged with multiple crimes, including armed robbery and weapons offenses.

If the suspect is ultimately convicted on the robbery charges, he faces significant penalties. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1, anyone who commits a robbery while armed with a deadly weapon, such as a firearm or handgun, can be charged with a first degree felony. A conviction for first degree armed robbery could lead to a sentence of 10-20 years in New Jersey State Prison.

To learn more about this case, check out NJ.com article entitled “Newark Man, 61, Charged with Robbing Downtown Bank.”